The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-10-26
THE KILLING OF DE BURGER
An Important CIew Leads Finally to
the Arrest of the Supposed Murderers.
One Of the Suspected Men Is an Old Street
Car Driver and the Other Two Are
Very Hard Characters.

Burger was beaten to death on his car, and his
nurderers are still at large, with no well-de-
ined clew that furnishes a ray OF hope that they
will be brought to the bar of justice. The
funeral of the murdered man took place yester-
iay morning and very largely attended
Fifty car drivers attended the services in a
Body. Headed by a band they marched from
the street-car stables on Louisiana street to the
residence Of the dead mans family, and from
there escorted the remains to their resting place
1t Crown Hill cemetery. All the expenses
Of the burial assumed by Colonel johnson,
sf the street-car company, and he will render
some aid to the family of the deceased, which IS
left in particularly distressing circumstances.
wife, with an infant in her arms, and three
other small children. OF which is sick, is left
without any visible means of support 1t was
suggested at the funeral yesterday that sub
scription paper should be circulated for the bene
fit of the family, aud this will probably be done
to-day
If the detectives who are working on the
succeeded in finding any new clews yesterday
they kept all information concerning them to
themselves. There persons in every quar-
ter of the city who have theory about tae
killing they want investigated, and result
the officers are constantly being called in all
directions to see persons who are reputed to
know something that will be servcable. Scores
Of persons have been interviewed by the officers.
but 50 far one has been found that knew
much of value.
Persistent investigation has failed to reveal
that the deceased mad a single enemy in the
world, unless among the striking car-drivers.
De was a man devoted TO his home and family;
never visited saloons dens of vice. and could
have had no secret enemies or tangling alh-
He vvQs A. driy nd ma
when i was road officer for the strest-car
company" said patrolmnn Kearns last evening,
land il there was a man in the service Of the
company who didn't have enemy it was De
Burger. He was very quiet and quarreed with
From the time knew him he was in
poor health and always spent his time while off
duty with his family. He might have made
some enemies among the old drivers by desert
ing them and returning to work, but do not
believe he did. They knew how he was stu
ated. with large and unhealthy family, and
although knew all the strikers well, never
heard any Of them say word about his going
back to his car"
There those who inclined to believe
that the purpose was robbery after all, and that
the robbers expected to accomplish their work
without killing the man. Seeing that they had
probably killed him with the FIRST blow from the
ables, for fear that in doing they might manu-
facture a clew that would identify item. Such
might have been the case. but the theory is one
that does not meet with much favor If rob-
berry had been the pu rpose these could have
accomplished il without the of a heavy bar,
OF iron, which they had carried at least three
squares. There seems to be but one acceptable
theory, made stronger by every bit of new
evidence that is picked ND, and that is that the
murder premeditated. The officers have
great faith in crime working out it's solu-
ton. That there were three connected
with IL, there is no doubt, and there is feeling
that of them will accidentally, by some act
or word expose hts confederates. or, &c save him
self. como forward and make a full confession.
The detectives. Coroner Wagner, and the
agents of Colonel johnson turned heir in vestiga-
ton in entirely new direction yesterday. 1t
was deemed waste of time to 60 any further in
to investigation of the movements OF the
seven young men who were caropsine in the }.
NJ. & l. saloon at or about the time the killing
occurred nile the stories they told confiicted
Bomewhat, the saloon keepers corroborated the
part stating the time they in the saloon
making their presence at the killing lmpos-
Ebity. Yesterday the investigation pertained
TO the actions of a crowd of young men, some of
them of very bad reputation. who known
to have been out very late Saturday night.
Among the number is one VINO recently
arrested FOR assisting in the robbery OF a street.
car driver, and was very lucky in securing bis
liberty. The first witness the coroner examined
was Charles Mcdonnell residing at No. 273 South
West street, and cousin to the murdered
He said: Last Sunday evening I,
with several others was at the of
Grant and West streets. IL was about o'clock
when James Haley walked up and Henry Nc
\ Laughlin said to him: Here is Gohey Haley,
the disturber.' 1 could not catch Haey's an
swer, but Mclaughlin said. i believe you are
the one who killed that street-car driver, where
upon Haley answered nothing and Mclaughlin
repeated the remark Then Haley walked I'D
some of his kin around here" Edward Malta,
residing at l0l North West. corroborated this
testimony, stating that he was with Mcdonnell at
ia m he nj
James Haley was next put upon the stand.
His testimony was follows: Il live at No.
424 South Missouri street | am n laborer. The
last work did was at the rolingmi quit
work three weeks ago. About one and a
half year ago was IN the employ of the street.
railway company a driver. L was discharged
for drinking July 3. 1856. / knew George De
Burger for about one year have talked and
drunk with him. have never had any difficulty
with him. ] had a talk with him about this
strike in n saloon during the strike. After
got my supper last Sunday evening went up to
the corner of Merrill and West streets,
and talked with Morris Lucet, George
Thompson and Thomas Barnett. 1 stayed
there from half to three quarters OF hour,
and left about o'clock. We four went to Kin
Lnder's saloon. Barnett and Lucet went up
sown about o'clock and stayed in the saloon
I played about eight or nine games of pool with
James Callahan and Bill Preston. l went out
,f the saloon about 1885 o'clock and stood and
talked with Bill Preston. Morris Lucet and
Terry Callahan for about threequarters Of an
aour We then went to Schwartz's, on Illinois
street. and got oysters. We were in there about
twenty minutes. After that we tried to get
drunk. but did not succeed, and were ordered by |
;he police TO go home. / was on the corner |
Of Grant and West streets Sunday evening
did not meet Charles McDorell and Ed Malta |
James Schley scratched nv face Sunday even
ing at the corner of Merrill and West streets 1t
was done about or o'clock. / know of no one
who had any trouble with George DeBureer."
Josephine Kinander. the wife of Charles Kin
Inder, the saloon keeper at No 252 South
West street, testified that she personally knew
James Haley, and that he was at ner husbands
,aloon Saturday evening from $50 until 1895
Sclock. He left at that time with Morris Lucet
de mad been drinking considerably. On cross
Examination. the witness was not certain that
Haley was in the saloon between $50 and 1890
tclock, but she was positive that he was there
10Th before and after the stated hours She
also said that about l0:40 o'clock two men,
Brady Rice and Grant, whose other name she
49,.